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The outfit also called upon Hindu leaders and international organisations to raise their voice in solidarity with Hindus and other minority communities in Bangladesh, emphasising the need for urgent action during these challenging times
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat with general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale during the annual meeting of Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha in Bengaluru. (PTI)
The Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS), standing in solidarity with Hindus in Bangladesh, expressed satisfaction with the Indian government’s support for Hindus and minority communities amid reports of persecution.
However, the ABPS also urged agencies like the United Nations to “take serious note of the inhumane treatment meted out to Hindus and other minority communities in Bangladesh and pressurise the Bangladesh government to halt these violent activities”.
The resolution also said the ABPS urges the Centre to make all possible efforts to ensure the protection, dignity, and well-being of the Hindu community in Bangladesh, along with engaging with the government of Bangladesh “in continuous and meaningful dialogue”.
This was part of the resolution passed at the ABPS meeting in Bengaluru, being held from March 21-23, which also marks the organisation’s centenary celebrations.
In response to a question on Bangladesh, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) joint general secretary Arun Kumar said RSS was satisfied with the efforts taken by the Centre for the protection of Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh. “There is a need to mobilise global opinion in favour of Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh,” he said.
The outfit also called upon Hindu leaders and international organisations to raise their voice in solidarity with Hindus and other minority communities in Bangladesh, emphasising the need for urgent action during these challenging times.
The Government of Bharat, the ABPS resolution stated, has already taken up the issue with the interim government of Bangladesh and on various global platforms. The resolution further urged the Indian government to make all possible efforts to ensure the protection, dignity, and well-being of Hindus in Bangladesh while continuing diplomatic engagement with Dhaka.
The ABPS, meanwhile, has raised serious concerns over ongoing, targeted violence, injustice, and oppression faced by Hindus and other minorities at the hands of radical Islamist elements in Bangladesh, calling it a clear case of human rights violations. Reports emerging during the recent regime change in Bangladesh include attacks on temples, mutts, Durga Puja pandals, and educational institutions, along with desecration of deities, barbaric killings, looting, abductions, and molestation of women. The resolution dismissed claims that these attacks were merely political, stating that the victims overwhelmingly belong to Hindu and other minority communities.
The ABPS also flagged the sharp decline in Bangladesh’s Hindu population—from 22 per cent in 1951 to 7.95 per cent today—as a sign of an existential crisis. It has pointed to institutional and governmental complicity in the violence over the past year as a cause for serious concern. Alongside this, the ABPS has warned that the persistent anti-Bharat rhetoric in Bangladesh could severely damage bilateral relations.
The resolution further alleged that certain international forces are actively working to create instability in the region by pitting nations against one another. The ABPS has called on thought leaders and scholars in international relations to monitor and expose these activities, specifically pointing to Pakistan and the Deep State as key players. The body also stressed that the region shares a common culture, history, and social bonds, and that any unrest in one part of it raises concerns across the region.
Amidst these concerns, the ABPS has acknowledged the courageous resistance of Hindus in Bangladesh, who have stood up to these atrocities in a peaceful, collective, and democratic manner. It has also noted that their resolve has found moral and psychological support from the Hindu community in Bharat and across the globe. Hindu organisations in Bharat and abroad have taken up the issue, voicing concerns through demonstrations and petitions, while international leaders have also raised it on their platforms, they said.
“The continuous decline of the Hindu population in Bangladesh—from 22 per cent in 1951 to 7.95 per cent today—indicates an existential crisis. However, institutional and governmental support for the violence and hatred witnessed over the past year is a serious cause for concern. Along with this, the persistent anti-Bharat rhetoric in Bangladesh can severely damage relations between the two countries,” the resolution stated.
The ABPS also pointed to deliberate attempts by certain international forces to destabilise the region by fostering distrust and confrontation between nations. The resolution called on thought leaders and scholars in international relations to remain vigilant against this anti-Bharat agenda.
“The ABPS calls upon thought leaders and scholars in international relations to keep vigil against the anti-Bharat atmosphere, the activities of Pakistan and the Deep State, and to expose them,” the resolution stated.
It further stressed that the entire region, including Bharat and its neighbouring countries, shares a deep cultural, historical, and social bond, and that any upheaval in one place raises concerns throughout the region.
The resolution also praised the Hindu society in Bangladesh for standing up to these atrocities “in a peaceful, collective, and democratic way.”
At the peak of the crisis, various Hindu organisations in Bharat and other countries raised their voices against the violence through demonstrations and petitions, demanding security and dignity for Bangladesh’s Hindus. The issue has also been taken up by several international leaders on their respective platforms.
Reiterating its stance, the ABPS emphasised that the government remains committed to standing with Hindus and minorities in Bangladesh, ensuring that diplomatic efforts continue on global platforms. The body also stressed that it will step up its engagement with the Bangladesh government to ensure the protection of Hindus while continuing to press international organisations to take serious note of the issue and exert pressure on Dhaka to halt the violence.